City Hall Blog

Dallas council approves $267,000 to fight sexual harassment lawsuit by former city judge Staci Williams

Almost exactly two years ago, as the City Council prepared to vote against the reappointment of former city judge Staci Williams, council member Dwaine Caraway warned that a lawsuit was coming.

That lawsuit is moving forward, and the council voted this morning to approve up to $267,000 to fight it. The money goes to the law firm of Carter Stafford Arnett Hamada & Mockler, which is handling the case for the city.

In mid-2009, Williams leveled sexual harassment allegations against Administrative Judge C. Victor Lander. He vehemently denied the allegations, and city human resources investigators found no evidence to support them.

Lander, meanwhile, ordered locks changed after other judges accused Williams of sneaking into their courthouse offices. By the time of Williams’ departure, things were so tense in the courthouse that she and Lander communicated almost solely in writing. Williams had begun showing up for work with an armed bodyguard.

To Caraway, who came to her passionate defense, Williams was a victim.

“It’s going to haunt this Dallas City Council,” Caraway thundered. “Trust what I say.”

That’s at the end of the video below, as he builds to a full Caraway-style crescendo.

Before today’s vote, Caraway asked for and got a closed session so he could question City Attorney Tom Perkins on legal issues involved. No word on what he wanted to know.